Viva croc Vegas

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Steve Irwin brought his crocodile wrestling and taipan taming
stage show to Los Angeles today in what could be a test run for a
long-term $A66 million-plus extravaganza show in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas is desperate for a showman like the khaki-clad
Crocodile Hunter from Beerwah, Queensland.

A huge void was left on the strip when Roy Horn, of the famous
lion taming magicians, Siegfried and Roy, was attacked and
critically injured by a 270kg white tiger on stage in 2003 -
forcing the show to close.

Irwin will hold two shows in Los Angeles over the next two days
as part of the Australia Week festival.

The Croc Hunter said meetings with financial backers, including
the big casinos, for a Vegas show were continuing.

"We're seriously thinking about Vegas," Irwin said today outside
the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Centre, where he staged his first
Australia Week show.

"It's in its infancy at the moment, but we'll probably do
it."

If Irwin - already a multi-millionaire through his TV
documentary shows, zoo and feature film - strikes a deal with a
major casino it would easily make him one of Australia's richest
entertainers.

Canadian songstress Celine Dion is mid-way through a three-year
concert deal at the Caesars Palace casino that will net her $132
million.

Dion also takes half of the ticket sale profits, a nice addition
with tickets costing up to $US200 ($A264) each.

Elton John also signed a three-year, 75-show deal with Caesars
Palace worth $66 million.

"We've spoken to a whole stack of different people from all
walks of life including casinos," Irwin said.

"We're not 100 per cent sure which way we'll go yet.

"We are very well connected and we want to make a clever
decision, rather than a hasty decision.

"I've got all the time in the world."

Irwin's show today was historic for him.

A regular on US TV talk shows, the concert was his first live
performance on stage in the US to paying customers. Tickets sold
for $33 each.

It involved snakes, including a taipan, lizards, a crocodile, a
camel, kangaroos and wallabies.

Tourism Queensland flew Irwin over for the Redondo Beach and
Beverly Hills shows as part of Australia Week's American Express
Australia Travel and Education Expo.

The expo featured promotions from Australian travel companies,
including Qantas.

Irwin said he would use the LA shows to spread the word about
Australia and tempt his American fans to take a trip Down
Under.

He also wanted to ease their fears about Australian
wildlife.

"I want to tell people who come to the expo that if you go to
Australia you won't get bitten by a snake or a crocodile or killed
by a great white shark or have a koala jump out of a tree and pee
on you," Irwin said.

"It just doesn't happen.

"You may see a snake, but that will be at a distance and it will
be safe, a quick encounter."

Irwin caused a frenzy this morning when he announced the
telephone number to buy tickets for his show on an LA radio
station.

"The switchboard got clogged up and they couldn't handle it
anymore," he said.

"The operators were freaking out. One was yelling out 'I've got
60 people on hold'. Another was yelling out 'I've got 70 people on
hold'."

Australia Week is an annual festival in LA organised by federal
government agencies and Australian companies to promote Aussie
film, arts, fashion, food, wine, trade and other sectors.